The nearly five-hour meeting between Vladimir Putin and American envoy Steve Witkoff, attended by Jared Kushner, failed to produce progress on the occupied territories in Ukraine.
The Kremlin admitted, through advisor Yuri Ushakov, that „no compromise solution has been chosen yet,” even though „certain American proposals can be discussed,” reports AFP.
According to Ushakov, the discussions were "constructive": "We managed to agree on some points (...), others were criticized, but the essential thing is that a constructive discussion took place and the parties declared their willingness to continue their efforts." However, he warns that "there is still much work to be done" to reach an agreement, especially as Russian troops are accelerating their advance.
A Ukrainian source cited by AFP states that Witkoff and Kushner could have a meeting with a delegation from Kiev in a European country on Wednesday, continuing the negotiations that began in Washington and were adjusted in consultation with Ukrainian authorities.
Prior to the talks with the Americans, Vladimir Putin accused Europe of trying to "obstruct" Washington's plan and issued new threats: "We do not want war with Europe, but if Europe wants it and starts it, then we are ready right now."
The statements of the Russian leader contrast with the optimism of NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who said that US diplomatic efforts will "eventually restore peace in Europe." Washington has, in fact, declared itself "very optimistic" about the peace plan presented two weeks ago.
American President Donald Trump acknowledged the difficulty of the negotiations: "It's not an easy situation, believe me. What a mess it is!" stated the leader from Washington.
At the same time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of using the discussions "to try to weaken the sanctions." While in Ireland, Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine demands an end to the war, not "just a break" between battles.